IN THIS ECONOMY – A job fair sponsored by Mayor Felix Roque and the West New York Board of Commissioners took place on Wednesday, Oct. 17 at West New York Middle School. Around 50 companies, ranging from the U.S. Army to Barnes & Noble, set up booths and were accepting resumes and offering advice to interested patrons.

Barbara Woodruff, the public affairs agent at the FBI’s local office in Newark, confirmed last week that FBI agents were at Union City’s City Hall at 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday. Woodruff could not confirm why the agents were there, but did say that it was concerning the Community Development Agency.

Local towns receive federal Community Development Block Grants for various projects.

Mark Albiez, Union City Mayor Brian Stack’s chief of staff, said that the city is “fully cooperating with the investigation.”

Mayor Stack said, “We have nothing to hide. We’re proud of what we’ve done in Union City and proud of what we’re going to do.”

A source inside City Hall said the agents had shut down the fourth floor and were inside the community development grant office and the city comptroller’s office.

Federal agents seized computers and some documents.

Holiday Hudson Reporter advertising deadlines

Because of the Thanksgiving Day holiday, some of the Hudson Reporter newspapers will have special advertising deadlines.

For The Secaucus Reporter, The North Bergen Reporter, The Union City Reporter, The West New York Reporter, and The Weehawken Reporter, the deadline for classified and display advertising is Tuesday, Nov. 20, at noon.

The Hoboken Reporter and Jersey City Reporter deadline for classified is also Tuesday, Nov. 20, at noon, but the deadline for display advertising is Wednesday, Nov. 21, at noon.

The office will be closed on Thursday, Nov. 22, for the holiday. It will reopen on Friday, Nov. 23. If you have questions about these deadlines or any other issue, please call (201) 798-7800. Also check www.hudsonreporter.com.

UC school board receives grant to bolster school security

The Union City Board of Education recently received an $89,980 safety grant from the New Jersey Schools Boards Association Insurance Group (NJSBAIG) to invest in safety and security-related improvements in the school district.

The funds will be used to implement a district-wide review of all safety systems and to make improvements wherever necessary, according to Superintendent of Schools Stanley Sanger.

“We are very pleased that the New Jersey School Boards Association Insurance Group has once again recognized Union City’s proactive risk management programs by awarding us a safety grant for the fourth consecutive years,” said Sanger. “Creating a safe learning environment and protecting our students is always a top priority for Union City Public Schools.”

NJSBAIG inaugurated the school safety grant program in 2009, and since then it has awarded $16 million to school districts across the state, including $4 million this year.

Kids and seniors need coats

Palladium Real Estate, a company based in North Bergen, has begun its annual Coats for Kids drive. Palisadium is encouraging anyone who knows a tot, toddler, teen or even senior in northern Hudson County in need of a coat this winter to contact Maria Malavasi-Quartello at (201) 681-7542.

Upcoming meetings in WNY, UC

The Union City Board of Commissioners will hold a public meeting at Tuesday, Nov. 20, Emerson Middle School, 318 18th St., 7 p.m.

In West New York, the commissioners will meet at the Municipal Building, 428 60th St., this Monday, Nov. 19 at 7 p.m.